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The world number two has previously said she
has nothing against Ukrainian people and felt bad for them as
Moscow's action rages on. Belarus has been a staging area for
the invasion, which Moscow calls a "special military operation".
"It was really tough for me because I've never faced that much
hate in the locker room," Sabalenka said ahead of the Miami
Open. "There are a lot of haters on Instagram when you're losing
matches, but in the locker room I've never faced that.
"It was really tough to understand that there's so many people
who hate me for no reason. I did nothing."
Australian Open champion Sabalenka lost in the final of Indian
Wells to Elena Rybakina on Sunday.
Earlier in the tournament, Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko withdrew
from her match against Sabalenka over a panic attack triggered
by a conversation with WTA chief Steve Simon about tennis's
response to Russia's invasion.
Sabalenka said she had been having "weird conversations" with
members of some players' teams in the last year.
"It was really tough but now it's getting better," she said.
World number one Iga Swiatek has called for more support to be
offered to Ukrainian players, saying the tennis leadership was
not doing enough, but two-times Grand Slam champion Victoria
Azarenka of Belarus said that was not the case.
"There are certain players that have different feelings and
behaviours. Overall, I don't necessarily share the same opinion
as Iga does," Azarenka said.
"I'd encourage her to look at the things that have been done
before she makes comments. As a player council member I'm happy
to provide the facts. That would be a more appropriate way to
have that conversation."
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter
Rutherford)
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